GTA IV - 360 & Ps3

[tyler]

Cheers.

Nah. Still not working (despite it being listed in the manual as 'pick up'. I'll assume I've not reached an appropriate mission where it becomes available yet.

Hold Y (triangle) for longer and he gets in the back. I was jacking them the first few times aswell. Cruising around as a passenger is great fun and a good way to just take in the City. You can also knock out the windows with LB (L1?) in preparation for some drive-by. I've spent a lot of money on cabs (see below). Just like NYC then.

I've been playing the game (on 360) fairly conservatively so far, no rampaging around and in general I'll hail a cab rather than jack someone. I've stolen a few parked cars though. I'm such a square when it comes to GTA, I like to be the professional hitman. No carnage if it can be avoided. I still run red lights but I tend to avoid smashing everyone else around. Two stars is the most 'wanted level' I've had in 10 hours game time.

I agree with most of your points earlier Concept. I haven't noticed any framerate drops on the 360 but I must say I'm not the most fussy unless it really chugs. Pop in is definitely there but apparently this is worse on the 360. It's certainly not been anything major though, smaller close up details such as grass, on occasion, are the most noticeable.

I love the bonnet cam and driving around with this view is perfect for me. I feel totally in control, even at high speeds. I switch to third person for bikes though. I've spent all of 5 minutes on a boat in the time I've played. They're attainable but I've been too immersed in Hove Beach and the whole first island to venture out.

A few of things that have bothered me are:

* You don't have the option to sit down in bars, on benches and so on. It's a really petty thing but when you see AI chilling out in bars and in parks you kind of want to join in from time to time.
* No way to check things out in first person that I can see.
* Traffic spawning in behind you. It's a staple of the series and it's still here.

I was worried about the gunplay at first, my first encounter was very unsatisfying and jolted me a little as too how bad I thought it still was. However, I'm pleased to say that after a few more encounters I've bedded-in and it really is improved with the free aim and even the adjustments you can make when locked on. Headshots are insta-kills and that's oh so satisfying.

I was even impressed with the hand to hand combat. It's a touch sluggish but overall it's more weighty and the little moves you can do make it fun enough.

Whilst I'm back on the positives the cut scenes deserve a special mention as they're superbly polished, acted well and very amusing at times. The Rain has been mentioned but oh my, walking the streets of an evening, in a storm, is an amazing thing to behold.

Everything adds up to you really becoming part of Liberty City. I'd say it's the first game where I've felt like a true resident of the place and setting. Just looking across at Manhattan each day is amazing. I've still not been over there but I can't wait to do so.

There are small niggles as mentioned but I have to say for the first 10 hours this is the most impressed I've been with a game.

[Brad]

Only had a few hours on this but it rocks pretty hard. Few jaggies occasionally but no framerate drop and no popin that i've noticed (ps3). It's impressive stuff all round really. Cop evasion works much better than before and the animation is fantastic especially hopping over walls and scaling fences, oh and when you jack a car!

[Rossco]

Great impressions tyler! Most impressed you've been with a game so far! Sounds good to me, I think I'm gonna get sucked right into this game!

And everyone keeps talking about the rain and wather effects, can't wait to see them for myself! I wonder how long until the other islands open up too, it's nice to get a good 10 hours play and you've not opened the main middle island yet.

Shame about the spawning traffic, didn't expect that to go away, thats just the way it is, and stuff like frame rate, pop in won't bother me much unless it's really obvious and annoying. I know Oblivion had some pop up with grass and shrubs that would appear like 20ft in front of you but that never really annoyed me either!


Oh another thing, can someone give us some impressions on multiplayer, no-one had mentioned it at all yet!

[eastyy]

does the pal version work on japanese xboxes ?

[Ciaran]

Nope, region locked.

[Spatial]

Can I ask, is that confirmed by first hand experience?

edit: never mind I see it's been posted elsewhere here as well. Damn it!

[Concept]

I agree with most of your points earlier Concept. I haven't noticed any framerate drops on the 360 but I must say I'm not the most fussy unless it really chugs. Pop in is definitely there but apparently this is worse on the 360. It's certainly not been anything major though, smaller close up details such as grass, on occasion, are the most noticeable.

I love the bonnet cam and driving around with this view is perfect for me. I feel totally in control, even at high speeds. I switch to third person for bikes though. I've spent all of 5 minutes on a boat in the time I've played. They're attainable but I've been too immersed in Hove Beach and the whole first island to venture out.

A few of things that have bothered me are:

* You don't have the option to sit down in bars, on benches and so on. It's a really petty thing but when you see AI chilling out in bars and in parks you kind of want to join in from time to time.
* No way to check things out in first person that I can see.
* Traffic spawning in behind you. It's a staple of the series and it's still here.

I was worried about the gunplay at first, my first encounter was very unsatisfying and jolted me a little as too how bad I thought it still was. However, I'm pleased to say that after a few more encounters I've bedded-in and it really is improved with the free aim and even the adjustments you can make when locked on. Headshots are insta-kills and that's oh so satisfying.

I was even impressed with the hand to hand combat. It's a touch sluggish but overall it's more weighty and the little moves you can do make it fun enough.

Whilst I'm back on the positives the cut scenes deserve a special mention as they're superbly polished, acted well and very amusing at times. The Rain has been mentioned but oh my, walking the streets of an evening, in a storm, is an amazing thing to behold.

Everything adds up to you really becoming part of Liberty City. I'd say it's the first game where I've felt like a true resident of the place and setting. Just looking across at Manhattan each day is amazing. I've still not been over there but I can't wait to do so.

There are small niggles as mentioned but I have to say for the first 10 hours this is the most impressed I've been with a game.

Yeah, I have to say I'm a little disappointed you can't sit on benches or seats considering the amount of detail Rockstar have put into pedestrian behaviour. I didn't know that about drive-bys. When I tool up I think that's the first thing I'm going to try.

The pop-in isn't too much a deal for me on the PS3 version (I don't really notice it that much and I'm usually anal about these things). If I have a major criticism of the graphics it's that they shimmer too much. It's not necessarily lack of AA (though that's there) so much as it is some of the textures (usually railings).

As for the hand-to-hand combat. I wasn't feeling it before but now I've got used to mixing it up a little and dodging it's getting a lot better. Rockstar have really pulled off the night time. So many games go for an overly static dark navy-blue feel, but the game really does capture the lighting post-evening really well.

[Flinty]

For those who have are there any gaming references in it yet?

Such as taking the mikey out of other games.....

[Nembot]

Good God, my eyes are like piss holes in the snow. Me and Rubiq had a massive session of the multiplayer til gone 6.15am, just got up to do it all again.

The multiplayer modes are really good and I can honestly see me playing them for sometime to come. Spent a load of time doing the races and managed to become NUMBER ONE IN THE WORD on some of the tracks. I know there were only 5 people in the world playing it, mind! ;p

The Deal Broker, Hangmans Noose and Bomb Da Base look great fun, this is where a team of humans complete various tasks against bots.

Sadly I didn`t get to play Cops and Crooks as there weren`t enough people online plaing it, but I`m looking fwd to getting a go over the weekend.

Had great fun racing the Time Square circuit, it`s just like the one on FORZA.

It`s all good and well worth the hype and the money. I`m too tired to type any more, I`ll add more later.

[Concept]

For those who have are there any gaming references in it yet?

Such as taking the mikey out of other games.....

Not noticed any, though I'm sure there are some. There was stuff on the radio about how videogames are causing society's ills though, followed by a

->Open Spoiler<-

Play about the life of a hamster

I really want to see.

[YOUWIN]

in Niko's appartment i

->Open Spoiler<-

watched a bit of tele - try watching Rich TV had me cracked up - a couple of select phrases like
"she'd so rich her fake tits are filled with ruby's"
and
she's so rich she carrys around one of those little dogs that live inside her vagina"

re the hoes again ( real spoilers )

->Open Spoiler<-

i found some by the docks not far from Roamans place called hook lane or hooksville cant remember exactly - anyway picked one up took it to a quiet corner and got a option of 3 services $20/$50/$70
I've had a $50 from one - nosh and a $70 was the full deal - im guessing a $20 is a hand jobby.
Both the bitches returned their hard earned tho, once i'd stabbed em + wheel spun on their dead corpses

[Concept]

Anyone know how to activate taxi missions without having to go back to Roman's office all the time (the usual click L3/R3 doesn't seem to work)? I have a feeling they've been deliberately sidelined.

[PeteJ]

Has the RPG-lite part of GTA-SA been dropped? I enjoyed hammering around in the BMX early on in that game to get maxed out stats

[Concept]

in Niko's appartment i

->Open Spoiler<-

watched a bit of tele - try watching Rich TV had me cracked up - a couple of select phrases like
"she'd so rich her fake tits are filled with ruby's"
and
she's so rich she carrys around one of those little dogs that live inside her vagina"

Yeah, the television disturbingly (I still get flashbacks) of ITV television late at night a couple of years ago with The Mint when the phone scams were still running. Horrible crass naffness that makes you want to melt your brain out of your ears.

[Concept]

Has the RPG-lite part of GTA-SA been dropped? I enjoyed hammering around in the BMX early on in that game to get maxed out stats

There are no stats so to speak, but all the alternative locations from San Andreas (and more) are there. As are clothes.

No weight lifting or getting fat, though you can still eat.